Ghost Writer
Chapter Seven: Family Secrets
"Anna, sit down already!"
"I'm tired of sitting, Kate!"
Kate threw down the wet dishtowel on the now clean counter. "Anna, you shouldn't be on that knee as much as you are right now!"
Anna thumped her way into the kitchen and leaned herself and her crutches on the counter. "I feel fine. I'm just…"
"Nervous about something." Kate noticed the semi-shocked look on Anna's face and smiled. "I'm the older sister for a reason. What's going on? Is it your meds?"
Anna waved her hand. "My meds have been working just fine. I've only seen two ghosts since I've been here."
Kate felt that familiar lump rise in her throat. "How often do you see them?"
"Not often at all actually."
"Good. So what's got you all worked up?"
"Nothing."
"Liar."
"Okay," Anna caved. "Can I ask you for a really big favor without you freaking out?"
Kate didn't like where this was going. "Go ahead."
Anna leaned over the counter and dropped her voice to a whisper. "I told Mort to stop by this evening."
"Please tell me you told him to come after five o'clock."
"Of course."
"Good." Kate went back to the sink and started to put away the dried dishes from the families' Sunday dinner. "So what's the favor? Don't tell Dad?"
"That and I was kind of hoping you wouldn't give him a rough time."
"Anna, you know me better than that."
"You were the one who wanted me to mail his clothes back to him."
"If he shows up, of course I'll be nice to him."
"Thank you."
Kate pulled one of Anna's pill bottles off the windowsill and shook out a pill. "Here, you're due for a pain pill."
Anna took the pill and swallowed it dry. "Thanks, Kate. I really mean it."
"I told you I'm the older sister for a reason. Go sit out on the porch. He should be here soon." Kate watched her sister hobbled out of the kitchen and onto the porch. She poured herself a cup of coffee and heard the dull thud of Anna's crutches hitting the floorboards of the porch.
Kate had tried to discourage Anna from making friends with anyone at Tashmore Lake. It was better that way, for all involved. But maybe she shouldn't try to protect Anna so much. If her meds were working then why not encourage her to establish friendships.
The crunch of gravel broke into her thoughts. Kate looked out the kitchen window and saw Mort's black Jeep pull up in the driveway. She watched him get out of the car and start to walk up the steps but suddenly stop. Kate stepped up to the screen door and started to ask him what was the matter when he came the rest of the way.
"She's asleep," he whispered. "I don't want to disturb her."
"It's alright." Kate opened the door. "Come in."
He looked at her like a cornered animal and Kate's heart went out to him. He gave her a slight smile and quietly stepped into the kitchen. He was much shorter than what she imagined, probably not quite six feet tall. He might be slightly taller than that if he wasn't slouching so much.
"You want something to drink, Mr. Rainey?"
"Uh, no, no thank you. I can come back later."
"No, this actually works out just fine. I was wondering if I could talk to you for a minute."
She watched him shove his hands into his pants pockets. "Alright."
"You can sit down, Mr. Rainey."
Reluctantly, he took one of the barstools by the breakfast counter and waited for her to start harassing him from the pained look on his face.
"Look, I know you're expecting me to say 'stay away from my sister' and so on, but I'm not. Actually, far from it."
"Really?" He sat up a little straighter.
"Anna is really good at figuring people out. She only opens up to those who are honest, kind and just good people. She seems to really like you which leads me to put more stock in her reaction to you than everyone else's reaction. But there is a slight problem that I think you should be aware of."
"Which is?"
"Mr. Rainey, what exactly has my sister told you about why she's here?"
"She, uh, said that she had a nervous breakdown from her job."
"Did she tell you what her job is?"
Mort nodded. "She works for the New York police department as a psychic."
Kate was surprised at how forthcoming Anna had been concerning her job. She usually didn't tell anyone what she did for a living. She must have really trusted him to reveal that much of her personal life. Kate took a deep breath. Now, she had trust Mort.
"Is something wrong with Anna?" he asked.
"Yes, but it's something that we're trying to get under control. Anna's 'nervous breakdown' was more of a psychotic break. She was formally diagnosed with schizophrenia."